Press Releases

GARY, IND. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats announced the signing of veteran right-handed pitcher Duke von Schamann on Monday. 2019 will be von Schamann’s eighth season of professional baseball and fourth at the Independent level.

Last year, the 27-year-old went 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA in eight starts with the Frontier League Champion Joliet Slammers. Von Schamann recorded a quality start in six of his eight starts with Joliet and was named the Frontier League Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career after throwing a complete game shutout (9 IP, 0 R/0 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 7 K) against the now defunct Traverse City Beach Bums on Aug. 27. In 43.1 innings pitched, von Schamann allowed 19 runs (13 earned) on 45 hits and six walks and struck 28 batters.

von Schamann began his professional baseball career in 2012 after getting selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 15th round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of Texas Tech University as a redshirt-sophomore. von Schamann was first assigned to the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League (Rookie Affiliate) and went 1-0 without allowing a run in two relief appearances before getting promoted to the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League (Class-A Affiliate). In three innings with the Raptors, von Schamann yielded just one hit, walked none and struck out two hitters. In 12 starts with the Loons, von Schamann finished 4-4 with a complete game and a 3.90 ERA in 12 starts before getting promoted to the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League (Double-A Affiliate). In 67 innings with Great Lakes, von Schamann posted a career-best 1.08 WHIP and allowed just 29 runs (24 earned) on 59 hits and 13 walks and struck out 42 batters. von Schamann recorded the win in his only start with Chattanooga after allowing just one run on three hits and a hit batsman over five innings against the Birmingham Barons.

In 2013, von Schamann won a career-high 11 games between the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League (Class-A, Advanced Affiliate) and Chattanooga. von Schamann began the year with Rancho Cucamonga and went 8-2 with a 4.34 ERA in 11 starts before getting promoted to Chattanooga for the second time in his career. In 64.1 innings with the Quakes, von Schamann allowed 32 runs (31 earned) on 64 hits and 18 walks and struck out 50 hitters. The right-hander also won a career-best seven consecutive start from April 20 through May 26. In 16 appearances (12 starts) with Chattanooga, von Schamann went 3-5 with a 5.00 ERA and was named the Southern League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending on June 17 after going 2-0 in two starts against the Jackson Generals and the Huntsville Stars. In the two starts, von Schamann allowed just one run on six hits over 12 innings, walked just two hitters and struck out 14 batters, including a career-high 10 strikeouts against Jackson.

In 2014, von Schamann opened the season with Chattanooga and recorded the win in his only start with the Lookouts with seven scoreless innings (7 IP, 0 R/0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K) against Jackson before getting traded to the Cleveland Indians on April 6 in exchange for left-handed pitcher Colt Hynes. von Schamann began his Indians minor league career with the Akron RubberDucks of the Eastern League (Double-A Affiliate) and went 8-8 with his only career save and a 4.20 ERA in 24 games (20 starts) before getting promoted to the Columbus Clippers of the International League (Triple-A Affiliate). In a career-high 135 innings pitched with Akron, von Schamann allowed 68 runs (63 earned) on 140 hits and 34 walks and struck out 68 batters. von Schamann was also named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending on August 11 after going 2-0 in two starts against the New Britain Rock Cats and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. The right-hander went seven innings in both starts, allowing four combined runs on 11 hits and a hit batsman, no walks and five strikeouts. In two starts with Columbus, von Schamman went 1-0 with a 6.52 ERA. In 9.2 innings, von Schamann allowed seven runs on 12 hits and two walks and struck out two batters.

In 2015, von Schamann returned to Akron and went 1-3 with a 7.92 ERA in five starts. In 25 innings pitched, von Schamann allowed 22 runs (22 earned) on 36 hits and nine walks and struck out 19 hitters.

von Schamann signed his first Independent Professional Baseball (IPBF) contract with the Winnipeg Goldeyes in 2015 and went 8-7 with a 4.87 ERA in 22 games (20 starts). In 116.1 innings pitched, the right-hander allowed 70 runs (63 earned) on 135 hits and 23 walks and struck out 66 batters.

von Schamann began his Frontier League career with Joliet in 2017 and went 5-8 with a career-best two complete games (one shutout) and a 4.06 ERA in 19 starts. In 122 innings pitched, von Schamann allowed 65 runs (55 earned) on 140 hits and 23 walks and struck out 89 batters.

Gary opens the 2019 regular season on Thursday, May 16 in Rosemont, Ill., against the Chicago Dogs at Impact Field. The RailCats home opener at U.S. Steel Yard is on Tuesday, May 21 vs. the Sioux City Explorers. Tuesday’s home opener features a free magnet schedule giveaway, presented by Northwest Indiana Orthopedic and Spine Center at Methodist Hospitals, and Post-Game Fireworks. Tuesday’s home opener is also Gary Community Night, presented by Fifth Third Bank, and is the first Taco Tuesday and Community HealthNet Health Centers Tuesday of the season.

Ticket packages for the 2019 Gary SouthShore RailCats season are available online at railcatsbaseball.com and can also be purchased by calling the RailCats ticket line at (219) 882-BALL. The RailCats box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

About the Railcats

A day at U.S. Steel Yard is non-stop fun, and that's even without the baseball! The RailCats promise a wide array of laugh-out-loud between inning entertainment, great giveaways, jaw-dropping fireworks and a family-first, kid-friendly atmosphere! RailCats fans come in all ages, shapes, and sizes, and the RailCats promise every fan will have fun.